What Bothered Her?
by RieWiggles
Summary: Read it until the end. Trust me. Aloy returned after a few months after HADES' defeat. Despite Erend had been more than thrilled to see his favorite person, he wondered what was bothering her.


**Author's Note: I'm trying to fix things up to make this shit better, but in the meantime, my damn urge to keep typing up new shit is still in play. I would say I'm still rusty. I'm heckin' rusty.**

* * *

Her hair was like fire.

For awhile, Erend was caught in a dilemma. Aloy had left to discover something. Would she have returned? Would she have returned for him? Would she have been killed? The racing thoughts scattered his brain, although he tried his best to refrain from letting them get to his work.

A few months had passed since HADES was defeated, and Aloy had left Meridian. She had gone somewhere far away. However, before the destined fight with a corrupted program, one thought had hit the ginger's mind. She had returned sick, frail from the cold. Her packages contained the oddest of trinkets.

The Vanguardsman lost strength in his legs when he saw that familiar figure approach him. She looked tired. Her ginger hair was almost matted, having been without proper brushing. Sure, it had always been messy, but not nearly as bad. Her hazel eyes met his, her freckles glistened with the sun. She was the sun. To him, he was the light that guided his path.

Erend wrapped his arms around Aloy. He was almost in tears, having not seen her for so long. She returned the embrace, her calloused fingers traveling up the shaved area of his head, into the patch of hair he had rested on his skull. She smelled the normal Oseram brew, although that was just typical.

"It's been so nice to see you!" she said, softly. Her soft voice made him shiver.

Erend broke the embrace, having his hands firm on her shoulders. She gave him a wide smile, albeit not opening her lips. He was tempted to make them touch his, although he refrained. He didn't want her to be upset with him after all.

The huntress followed to speak to the Sun King. Her journey had been long, never stopping. For once, she looked forward to such rest, as she wearily made her way up the stairs. Avad stood in awe, before bowing to her.

"Don't-" she called out, before bringing him up to his feet.

"I apologize," he said, softly.

They conversed. Aloy knew he wanted to hug her as well, although, being a king, he had to keep his composure. After small talk, the huntress finally admitted that she was exhausted, and wished to rest. She made her way down, through the bridge, through the crowds of people, but not without the company and escort of Erend.

"You look like you'll fall any minute," he calmly assured her. Aloy's knees began to give way, making gravity pull her to the ground before she was able to catch herself. He instantly grabbed the huntress, before pulling his arm underneath her knee. With his left on her back, he carried her back to the small apartment inside the city.

"You don't have to carry me!" Aloy groaned, her transition of words in a mumble.

He kicked the door open, before setting her on a small ottoman. He bent forward, before answering, "Of course I do! You would have fallen asleep on the ground out there!"

Aloy slowly got up, before moping up a floor. She got to the bed, before plopping down onto it. The Oseram approached it, before sitting down.

"Look uh," he started.

"If you don't mind talking when you wake up, I'll be here to listen."

"Mm." Her voice was muffled under the covers.

"And, well, I'll be here when you wake up."

He got up, before rolling Aloy onto her back. She felt so weak to where she didn't notice. She was almost out of the world.

* * *

Nightfall washed over the city like mist. The stars were drowned by the lights. Music and banter echoed through the hilled city. A loud laughter woke Aloy up.

When she came to, after coming down the stairs, a figure had walked inside. She was startled by the sudden appearance.

"Erend!" she called.

"Told you I would be back."

Erend made his way up the stairs as Aloy followed. He took a seat on the bed. Bending forward, he had his hands cupped, his head down.

"How was your sleep?" he asked.

The huntress sat down next to him. Her right leg dangled from the bed as her left was rested and bent. Her back was arched forward, her hands cupped onto her calf.

"It was good. I haven't slept in days."

"I could tell. Where did you go?"

Aloy looked down. Erend looked up at her.

She paused for a moment. He moved his right hand onto her calf, side from her cupped hands.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

She briefly smiled.

"It's complicated."

"Understandable."

He stood up from the bed, before unequipping his axe. He rested it on the opposite side. He then sat back down on the bed.

"You do know we all missed you, didn't we?"

"You all?"

"Everyone stayed after to help rebuild. You just disappeared. Talanah had a group go look for you, but they gave up."

The huntress tugged at her matted locks. Erend's icy blue irises met hers, concerned and sincere. He was sober, for once. Perhaps he was trying to find the right words to propose a drink?

"Aloy," he said solemly.

He inched forward, before placing his hands on her shoulders again. He pulled her in for another hug. Her rested leg moved to a dangling position with the other. She wrapped her arms around him again. He didn't sound like he was ready to sob, although he sure felt like it.

"We were worried about you. I'm worried about you. What is bothering you?"

When he departed, she kept her eyes locked onto his. She hinted shame in them. Erend didn't notice that he had leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. He tasted the skin. It didn't taste like anything. Regardless, his heart sped twice the pace. He opened slightly to allow her to return. She had no idea what to do, and just sat, surprised. He broke the kiss, noticing the extremely confused expression.

"Sorry," the Oseram apologized, before getting up from the bed. She had said nothing. She didn't move.

"I guess I'll go," he said softly, embarrassed, before turning around.

Suddenly, he felt her hands grab his gloves, turning him around. She jumped up, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Her lips met his again, this time trying to actually figure out how it worked. Her legs wrapped around his hips, her tongue fierce and rigorously slipping into his mouth. He clumsily moved back to the bed, before a slight break in the kiss. Erend moved her onto the red sheets, his body towering over hers. Aloy questioned why she had done what she did. She had no idea what was going to happen next. In fact, she was surprised to hear Erend remove his armor. The Oseram then began to cup his hands around her waist, moving them up and down, trying to figure out where the limit was. She allowed him to move further, responding in sudden shivers as his hands explored her toned body.

Erend removed Aloy's suede pants, before grabbing onto her skinned undergarments. The huntress pulled her toga over her shoulders, before removing her tunic. His clothing was slowly being removed as well, where only his striped shirt had soaked from the nervous sweat that he had. His hairy legs wrapped around Aloy's before she felt a particular limb of some sorts press against her pelvis. He planted hisses upon her jawline, moving downwards to her breasts. Cupping her left, his lips covered her right nipple, before sucking. He felt her body pulsate from the sensation, a slight moan emerge from the sighing she had let escape her lips. He moved back upwards, kissing her jawline, before slowly moving to her ear. He sucked on her earlobe, before grabbing his member. Aloy's legs wrapped around his hips, before she felt something slowly enter inside her.

The sensation was overwhelming. The huntress moaned with each thrust, his nose pressed against her jawline. He began to silently sigh, slowly crescendo-ing with each thrust. His nose began to press into her cheek, his lips slightly onto her jaw, before his heavy breathing began to send a spark of electricity through Aloy's body. The ginger began to dig her teeth into his neck, albeit not hard enough to hurt. Her nails began to dig into his shoulder blades. Their moans sang like music, becoming louder and more articulated and short, until the huntress felt his member beginning to harden and jolt.

As his breathing was becoming so heavy, Aloy turned her face, to meet him in the eyes. He almost began to slow down, even more so when she finally told him what was bothering her.

"I wonder what they'll trade for this Bluegleam."


End file.
